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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30030657">Trip</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige242/pseuds/Paige242'>Paige242</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Superman &amp; Lois (TV 2021)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bonding, Camping, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:01:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,777</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30030657</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige242/pseuds/Paige242</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Take ‘em camping. Rent a canoe. Make some s’mores.”</p><p>Clark follows the coach’s advice and takes the boys camping.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clark Kent &amp; Jonathan "Jon" Kent (Superman &amp; Lois TV 2021) &amp; Jordan Kent &amp; Lois Lane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>98</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Trip</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I hope you enjoy! I couldn’t resist after the coach’s line about taking the boys camping in 1x03</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">He knew that Coach Gaines had been joking but Clark had decided to take his suggestion anyway. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">It was a warm fall weekend and he had whisked his boys off on a little camping trip— in the woods an hour outside town, where he and his father used to go. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Their day had exceeded even his greatest expectations so far. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">There had been no interruptions, the twins were both in good spirits, and the weather was in their favour. It had even been warm enough for a short swim after their canoe ride and they’d all had a great time splashing each other in the stream. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">It felt unbelievably good to get away from it all, even if it was just for a little bit. It had been an eventful few months, to say the least. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">They needed it. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">This was the first time they had done anything like this and Clark’s only regret was that he had waited so long. He knew there hadn’t been much of a choice- if Superman was needed somewhere, the boys had to be old enough to be left alone.He hoped he wouldn’t have to dash off at any point, spoiling the fun. But if he did, he was confident that they would be okay now (he wasn’t going to lie, knowing that Jordan was strong enough to fend off almost anything was a big relief and had factored into his decision). </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Speaking of, Clark heard a loud thud followed by the sounds of his sons’ amused laughter. He’d gone back to the truck to grab a few supplies for dinner and he picked up his pace a bit now, curious to see what they had gotten up to in the few minutes he’d been gone. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">He arrived at the camp site to find them both standing several feet away from the tent, next to a sizeable pile of old logs. They didn’t seem to hear him approach and he paused for a second, observing their game. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“That one,” he heard Jon say, pointing at one of the heftiest logs. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Of course you’d fucking pick that one,” Jordan replied, amusement in his tone. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Jon stuck out his tongue and watched as the darker haired twin stepped over and pulled the log from the pile. He rolled it onto the grass in front of him before picking it up from the bottom, holding it steady for a few seconds, then tossing it forcefully across the small stream in front of them. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">It landed with another thud as Jon gave a whoop of delight. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">He didn’t care what Jor-El said, he could tell that his son was getting stronger by the day. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Clark took another step, a twig snapping beneath his foot this time. Both boys turned abruptly and he could see a worried look instantly cross both of their faces. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Oh crap,” Jordan muttered, clearly thinking he’d be called out. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Placing down the food near the fire pit, the father walked towards them, chuckling a little at their expressions. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“It’s fine,” he said, giving Jordan a reassuring pat on the arm as he spoke, “this is the perfect opportunity to exercise your powers a bit. Trust me, there is nobody else around for miles.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Really?” He asked, surprised by the reaction. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Clark nodded, “in fact,” he began, a smile growing on his face, “I think I’d like to take a turn.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Jordan laughed and Jon stood up from his spot on the grass, clearly eager to get the best view possible. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Awesome!” The sandy-haired teen declared with anticipation.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Clark stepped towards the pile as both boys stood off to the side. He picked up the first log, adjusting it into a good position before launching it off into a patch of trees. He didn’t use his full strength but he turned to see both boys looking impressed with the spectacle. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">He grinned, pausing for a moment to reflect on how great it felt to finally share this side of himself with them. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Clark spent so much of his time and energy hiding who he was and what he could do— it was a constant act that he had to maintain. As reluctant as he had been to tell his sons the big secret, he loved that he could finally relax around them. It certainly made daily life easier and he was getting used to using his powers around the house now, like he had before the twins were born. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Even though it had only been a few months, they appeared to be getting pretty used to it. When he sped into a room or floated up to reach a high shelf, they seemed to view it with an appropriate level with teenage indifference nowadays. Far from being disappointed, this had pleased him greatly. One of his biggest fears was that his sons would view him differently after the big reveal— for a man who had spent his whole life trying the fit in, that was the worst possible scenario. He never wanted them to see him as an outsider. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">And, it seemed, they generally didn’t. He was still just their dad. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Albeit, a dad who could still impress them with his ability to throw a fifteen-foot log across the forest. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Wow bro, you’d better keep practicing,” Jon teased, sending his brother a playful look.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Jordan rolled his eyes but couldn’t hold back a small smile. “Challenge accepted,” he shot back with a lighthearted confidence Clark had rarely seen in him. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">The boy really was taking to this pretty well, all things considered. It was a relief, and a source of immense pride. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">He still worried about Jordan but, the moment he realized that his son had powers, he had secretly been proud. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Alright guys,” Clark said, glancing back towards the food, “we should probably get dinner started. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting hungry.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">It was a silly statement, he realized. They had both been pretty ravenous lately and Lois had noted that their grocery bills were hitting record breaking numbers. They seemed to be going through a growth spurt and Lois had also complained that their clothes were getting tight. It was to be expected at their age, of course, but Clark hadn’t yet told his wife about his own abnormally rapid development at that age. He’s gone from an average looking pre-teen to his athletic looking build in a matter of months.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">He would have to bring it up soon, he realized. Even Jordan’s baggy clothes couldn’t hide what was happening to him. And Jon seemed to be following close behind. Superpowers or not, they were both half- Kryptonian and (apparently) it was only a matter of time before they looked like it. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“I’m starving!” Jordan declared, his brother nodding in agreement at his side. “Did you bring the hot dogs?” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Yep,” Clark answered making his way over the the fire pit and rifling around in the bag, “hot dogs, buns, beans, s’mores— I’ve got all the classics.”He paused for a moment, “just need to find the matches.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Jon laughed as he sat down on the log to Clark’s left. “Really dad? Matches?” He asked, raising an eyebrow, “can’t you just...” He pointed his fingers back and forth between his eyes and the fire pit, clearly indicating heat vision. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">They both looked up at him hopefully. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Fine,” he conceded, unable to say no to those faces. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">He adjusted the logs he and Jordan had cut earlier before leaning back and setting them ablaze with a short blast of power. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Badass,” Jon commented, looking towards the roaring fire. “If we’re really alone out here, we might as well camp the Kryptonian way, right?” He added with a shrug.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Clark laughed while Jordan snorted in amusement.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Did kryptonians even camp?” Jordan mused, looking towards him curiously as he handed them both skewers for roasting up the hot dogs. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Clark paused, a bit surprised by the question. “I have no idea,” he answered honestly before tearing open the first package of meat and passing the boys two each. He found it hard to picture Jor-El taking him camping in the same way that Jonathan Kent had. “Everything I know comes from the fortress. The planet definitely had some scenic places, but it was a pretty advanced urban civilization.”</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">The boys looked enthralled. The topic of Krypton hadn’t really come up as much as he had expected (perhaps in part to his own discomfort)— even now, he didn’t like dwelling on the fact that he’d been born light years away. He’d always wished that he was simply Clark Kent. And earth had always felt like his only home.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">But, of course, that had never been the case. He didn’t want to hide his head in the sand, the boys deserved to know about their family and where they came from. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Do you guys have any other questions,” he asked, deciding to forge ahead. “About Krypton, I mean.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">The twins exchanged a wide-eyed look before turning back towards him. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Yeah,” Jon said. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Lots,” Jordan added.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Okay, maybe this is a stupid question,” Jordan continued, seizing the opportunity. Clark could tell from his expression that this had been on his mind for a long time. And he suddenly seemed a bit nervous. “But, um, what you see is what you get, right? I mean, kryptonians look exactly like humans. They don’t have a secret alien form or something, right? Because I know that some species do and—“ </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Clark wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or cringe, but he did his best to keep a neutral face. “Don’t worry, this is it,” he said, gesturing towards himself with his free hand, “I can’t turn green or sprout antennae or anything like that. And neither can you.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">They both let out a heavy breath. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Thank fuck,” Jon muttered as he turned his skewer over the fire. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Really guys?” Clark found himself letting out a quiet chuckle now, “you were worried about that?” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">They both looked pretty serious and he realized that they had probably discussed it before. He wished they’d come to him sooner.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Well, you are technically an alien, dad,” Jon pointed out logically, “and most aliens don’t look human, so...” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Point taken,” he said, raising a hand in surrender. “But I’m happy to put that worry to rest.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Okay then,” Jon began, taking his turn, “you said that Kryptonians were pretty advanced. And obviously they had the technology to send you across the galaxy and program an AI into some crystals.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Clark nodded.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“So, like, how advanced were they? Were they super smart? Did they have lots of awesome technology and stuff?”</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“They were quite advanced,” Clark agreed as his sons listened intently. “They had science and technology well beyond what humans have now— renewable energy, complex robotics, ships advanced enough to explore space and make contact with other civilizations. Your grandfather was a famous scientist— in fact, you come from a long line of notable scientists,” he paused, smiling for a second, “I’m not surprised that you’re both excellent at it.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">It was true, both boys had top grades in science. They had top grades in every subject, in fact. School had always come easily for them, just like it had for him. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“They had their own language, right?” Jon added curiously, “those weird symbols you showed us last week?” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Yeah. That’s kryptonians.” He confirmed. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Can you speak it?” Jordan asked. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Clark smiled, “yes, I learned at the fortress when I was a bit older than you.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">The boys exchanged another excited look. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Can you teach us? We want to learn it.” Jordan seemed very earnest in his proclamation but, frankly, Clark was a bit taken aback. He hadn’t expected this level of interest from them— though it did fill him with a surge of pride. He never expected to pass this on to his children and he liked the thought of keeping this near-extinct language alive. It was part of their heritage, after all.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Of course, if you want to learn I’ll teach you.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">They both nodded, pleased.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“So, when the planet...exploded,” Jordan began again with a hint of hesitation. “How many people survived? I mean, there’s you obviously. And your cousin Kara. Is that it, though? You’d think such advanced people would have figured out other ways to get away.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Clark let out a long breath, “some did,” he revealed with a sad smile. “Kara’s father actually managed to save one of Krypton’s cities by creating a force field around it. It survived for several more decades but it is gone now too. It was engulfed in a wave of anti-matter,” he paused, shuddering at the memory. He would save the rest of that story for another day. “I know there are still a few Kryptonians out there but it’s impossible to say how many. Most are gone, though. A civilization of billions was almost completely wiped out in an instant.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">He could see the grim expressions on both of their faces and he felt a bit bad for putting a damper on the light hearted mood. Still, they deserved the truth. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“That sucks,” Jon noted, shaking his head as he tried to distract himself with his roasting hotdogs. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Jordan was still looking up at him, eyes narrowed in thought. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Do you miss it?” His voice was barely audible above the cracking fire. “Do you wish you lived in a place were you didn’t have to feel different?” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">It was a heavy question and Clark could see that his son was eager to hear his answer.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">He wondered if Jordan had been thinking about it a lot. Thinking about the one place where he might have been able to feel normal too. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“It’s hard to miss a place you don’t really remember,” Clark noted with a sad sigh, “but I suppose it’s fair to say that, at some points in my life, I have yearned for it. I always wanted to meet my parents— not just as an AI, but actually meet them. And yeah,” he paused, looking at his son, “I’ve wondered what it would be like to live somewhere where I’m just like everyone else. But it is never going to happen. I have to accept that.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“So, you’ve missed it at some points in your life,” Jon noted perceptively, “what about now? Would you go back if you could?” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">No one had asked him that in a long time. But, as he looked towards his two boys— two of the people he loved most in this universe— Clark instantly knew his answer.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“No, I’d never leave now,” he said with a tender smile, “when I met your mother, and when you boys were born, I knew this was where I was meant to be,” he paused, unable to stop himself from watching them both for a moment. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">They were so different in so many ways, but they each possessed a wonderful combination of him and Lois. Jordan had his looks and her fiery determination. On the surface Jon was undoubtedly a Lane, but his temperament was all Clark. They were smart, and kind, and they cared deeply about those around them. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Twenty years ago, he never could have guessed that he would be here now. He’d never expected to be a father— he’d thought they were an impossibility. And yet, here they were. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">His boys. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Part human, part Kryptonian. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Entirely perfect, in his eyes. The day Lois told him she was pregnant had been of the best days of his life. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“It’s impossible for me to feel alone when you guys are here,” he said honestly, “you changed everything.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">He knew he was being a sentimental old man and the twins immediately chimed in before throwing their hotdogs into some buns. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“God, dad, you’re the king of cheese, do you know that?” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“It doesn’t matter what planet you’re on, you’re still a huge dork.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">He took their playful jabs in stride and he could see their happiness still shining through. They knew that he meant it.</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Hey dad?” Jon piped in again as they all took their first delicious bites of the much needed meal, “after dinner, can we maybe go up high for a different view of the woods?”</span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Jordan looked equally excited by the prospect. “Please dad,” he added, doing his best puppy dog eyes. Even at fourteen he knew it still worked. “You said no one is around, and you said we could do things the kryptonian way.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">Clark could not hold back a laugh. </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s2">“Sure,” he agreed, eliciting an excited whoop from both his sons, “we’ll do it our way.” </span>
</p><p class="p3"> </p>
  </div></div>
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